Do you know what Discord is? It is a rapidly gaining in popularity community management platform that is incredibly adaptable. Discord, which was previously primarily used by gamers, is growing in popularity and drawing in new users, including businesses. Yes, the marketing opportunities offered by Discord are in the headlines. What makes Discord so wonderful? What else should you be aware of before joining?
First, some background on VoIP
Although the word “VoIP” (which stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol”) may not be one you are familiar with, you have probably used it at home or the office. (Or both, if you’ve been working from a distance during this COVID-19 timeframe.) People can now make phone conversations using VoIP technology, which has proliferated as a popular form of communication. Some people assert that they prefer VoIP to phone calls. Additionally, Discord is based on VoIP technologies.
Discord is making waves.
Navah Hopkins, a self-described gamer, said in Search Engine Journal that she prefers the Discord platform to Slack, Skype, Teams, and Hangouts. Discord is adaptable, as was already said. This is because users have the choice of using voice, screen sharing, or texting to get in touch with people in their local communities. Discord is a fairly cost-effective community management tool with three membership categories, with the most costly subscription (Nitro) costing $9.99 per month. With benefits like these, it is understandable why there are 150 million active users at the moment. These users represent a range of communities, including study groups, art enthusiasts, and marketers and brands.
Email and social media engagement rates that are inactive
The popularity of Discord among marketers is in contrast to the apparent decline in user engagement rates on social media and email marketing, two channels that were used to measure the success of campaigns.
Discord’s advantages for marketing
Marketing-focused Discord communities have access to a range of collaborations, particularly in customer community groups, events, and live streaming, just like any other sort of Discord community.
When it comes to community groups, marketers may quickly identify highly active prospects and consumers through channels or threads. These users can then be identified for VIP events or product discounts as a means to maintain their interest in a specific brand. It seems as though a lot happens. However, one benefit Discord offers over other platforms is that all of this action and opportunity stays inside the community group’s branded experience.
Discord has features like pop-out screen sharing, user audio settings, and the ability to effectively draw interested people into new servers or channels, so it could be stated that it was designed from the ground up for events and live streaming. These customers can provide input on a product in real-time, giving brands and marketers the chance to test messages, develop niche target markets, and cultivate brand evangelists. This has the additional benefit of assisting marketers, who have had to adapt how they connect businesses with potential clients.
Using Discord in marketing has yet another advantageous aspect.
When it comes to Discord’s assistance with marketing, the adage “time is everything” is undoubtedly accurate. The platform’s highly developed bot technology and integration features make it possible to track first-party data. After Google announced last year that it will stop allowing third-party tracking by the end of 2023, marketers have been scrambling to rethink how to make their brands visible to both current and potential customers. Marketers may all exhale with relief now that Discord can almost automatically acquire first-party data.
Concerning Discord advertising
Although Ms. Hopkins notes that several servers are being marketed as “Discord Growth Experts” with advertising channels for anyone interested, Discord does not have a native advertising platform like Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, some brands are developing and promoting their Discord channels. But before joining the platform, any firm using Discord for advertising needs to be ready with the necessary knowledge.
What to be aware of with Discord
In a recent piece for Glossy, Zofia Zwieglinska makes the point that while Discord fosters genuine interaction through a give-and-take that feels almost spontaneous among community members, marketers must be mindful of additional distinctions between this platform and well-known social media channels. For instance, data collecting is not always straightforward. Consider the fashion sector.
Who has access to what?
Although companies like Gucci and Adidas can see how their customers interact in their communities, they are unable to predict why they might make a specific purchase. That’s because the majority of users employ aliases, profiles, and proof-of-use images. The reasons why some things sell better than others on Discord are not immediately obvious given the broad variety of clothing that most fashion designers sell. This is the polar opposite of why consumers who interact with brands based on honesty and openness could decide to join particular Discord communities. This is the problem.
The purpose of companies switching to Discord
While firms with a presence on Discord may monitor what customers are saying and thinking about certain goods and services in real-time, this apparent advantage also presents some difficulties. The Discord setup and brand identity must be adapted to brands that are accustomed to self-promotion on social media. Ms. Zwieglinska proposes setting up specialized teams to maintain user engagement. The platform ought to become simpler to manage as Discord develops and adds more capabilities.
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